[vitue] Why is contentedness not good?

[The Reverend Bob]

Contentedness is un-American!
Contented people lack the virtues of competition and aggressiveness that made America great.
Contentedness is the opiate of the people!

Would you be content with a rhino charging at you? You wouldn't let a little danger get in the way of your contentment would you?

 

[Valjean]

I like rhinos, but what do they have to do with contentedness?

 

[dybmh]

This life is no place to rest but there are people who seem to believe that will give them happiness. They become content within confusion and satisfied with their own miserly and miserable existence. They want what is petty and small and they achieve nothing in this life. Not for themselves or others, it is like they were never here in the first place. All for contentment and "happiness"

It's a short-sided approach to contentment. If these people are actually content, is it sustainable?

what people call contentment is nothing but a false sense of happiness and satisfaction. The product of an opiate in the Marxist sense of the word.

Agreed. Do you agree that what you describe below is not actual contentment? At best it is temporary?

Because when you become content you will resist change. You would rather sit on you fat *** eating cheetos and playing video games rather than do anything to improve yourself or your situation.

Contentment does not come from resistance.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Agreed. Do you agree that what you describe below is not actual contentment? At best it is temporary?

I sure do. Let's see what Thoreau had to say on the subject:

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. "

Like Doctor Who said "Rest is for the weary, sleep is for the dead"
Contentment isn't going to get you into Valhalla.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I think a few of you in this thread are confusing contentedness with complacency.

con·tent
/kənˈtent/
adjective

1. in a state of peaceful happiness.
   "he seemed more content, less bitter"
   synonyms: contented, satisfied, pleased

...as opposed to...


com·pla·cent
/kəmˈplās(ə)nt/
adjective

1. showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
   "you can't afford to be complacent about security"
   synonyms: smug, self-satisfied, pleased with oneself, proud of oneself, self-approving, self-congratulatory, self-admiring, self-regarding

 

[Quagmire]

Because when you become content you will resist change. You would rather sit on you fat *** eating cheetos and playing video games rather than do anything to improve yourself or your situation.

That sounds more like complacency than contentedness.

*edit: seriously didnt see @SalixIncendium 's post above when I posted this.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

I think a few of you in this thread are confusing contentedness with complacency.

con·tent
/kənˈtent/
adjective

1. in a state of peaceful happiness.
   "he seemed more content, less bitter"
   synonyms: contented, satisfied, pleased

...as opposed to...


com·pla·cent
/kəmˈplās(ə)nt/
adjective

1. showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
   "you can't afford to be complacent about security"
   synonyms: smug, self-satisfied, pleased with oneself, proud of oneself, self-approving, self-congratulatory, self-admiring, self-regarding

This isn't a peaceful world, so in order to achieve peace in it one either must be on some powerful drugs or just be plain careless or you are dead to it. There is no contentment in the midst of struggle and suffering, there is only giving in or resisting. All the navel gazing and mystical posturing doesn't equal true happiness or contentment, all that is people getting their daily fix of an opiate. Opiates are one hell of a drug.

 

[Quagmire]

This isn't a peaceful world, so in order to achieve peace in it one either must be on some powerful drugs or just be plain careless or you are dead to it.

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 68

A good soldier is not violent.
A good fighter is not angry.
A good winner is not vengeful.
A good employer is humble.
This is known as the Virtue of not striving.
This is known as ability to deal with others.
This since ancient times has been known
as the ultimate unity with heaven.

There is no contentment in the midst of struggle and suffering,

Some people are the most at peace in the midst of struggle and suffering. Other people would be in turmoil in a sensory deprecation chamber.

there is only giving in or resisting.

There is also playing the banjo.
Think about it.

All the navel gazing and mystical posturing doesn't equal true happiness or contentment,

What does then?

all that is people getting their daily fix of an opiate.

People are stashing opiates in their naval now?

Opiates are one hell of a drug.

Actually, opiates are several one hell of a drugs.

 

[dybmh]

@SalixIncendium

If contentedness becomes complacency.

Emphasis on If.

Why is contentedness not good? It is not good when it leads to complacency.

What do you think?

 

[SalixIncendium]

@SalixIncendium



Emphasis on If.

Why is contentedness not good? It is not good when it leads to complacency.

What do you think?

Does hunger necessarily lead to starvation? If you’re hungry, eat!

Unless laziness prevents one from reaching for the feast.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

If you’re hungry, eat!

And if you have no food to eat? I guess gazing at one's navel and declaring you are content should fill your belly.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Unless laziness prevents one from reaching for the feast.

And if you are denied entrance to the feast like so many in this world are? Many all the hungry and homeless should just meditate and that would satisfy them.

 

[dybmh]

Does hunger necessarily lead to starvation? If you’re hungry, eat!

Unless laziness prevents one from reaching for the feast.

Some people take things too far. I know I have in the past.

 

[SalixIncendium]

And if you are denied entrance to the feast like so many in this world are? Many all the hungry and homeless should just meditate and that would satisfy them.

Do you presume to think what I have was given to me on a silver platter?

Do you presume to think I don’t share what I have?

How well do you know Salix, Bob? Do share what you know of me. I’m excited to read.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Do you presume to think what I have was given to me on a silver platter?

Do you presume to think I don’t share what I have?

How well do you know Salix, Bob? Do share what you know of me. I’m excited to read.

I am not presuming anything, I can only judge you by your words which is why I am asking questions. Are you content that there are people who are suffering injustice? How does it make you feel to know that the people are suffering under great injustice and cruelty?

 

[Quagmire]

And if you have no food to eat? I guess gazing at one's navel and declaring you are content should fill your belly.

Well heck, with a naval full of opiates who needs food?

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Well heck, with a naval full of opiates who needs food?

Even a junkie needs to eat sometime. Buddha looked well fed

 

[Quagmire]

Even a junkie needs to eat sometime. Buddha looked well fed

True. . .
(trying to decide whether to be dissillusioned or not)

 

[Quagmire]

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 68

A good soldier is not violent.
A good fighter is not angry.
. . .

To illustrate this point:

Fast forward to 2:42 or there abouts. Notice that two of the people look worried (the sweaty ones), one looks at peace, or "contented".
(I wanted to overlay "One of these things doesn't belong here" from Seseme Street but I couldn't figure out how)

Then fast forward to 4:36 and see who won.

This proves conclusively that Lao tzu was correct.

This is known as the Virtue of not striving.
This is known as ability to deal with others.
-Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 68

Notice that "not striving" doesn't mean not doing anything. In fact, Lao tzu seems to be equating "not stiving" with "dealing with".

 

[The Reverend Bob]

To illustrate this point:

Fast forward to 2:42 or there abouts. Notice that two of the people look worried (the sweaty ones), one looks at peace, or "contented".
(I wanted to overlay "One of these things doesn't belong here" from Seseme Street but I couldn't figure out how)

Then fast forward to 4:36 and see who won.

This proves conclusively that Lao tzu was correct.

This is known as the Virtue of not striving.
This is known as ability to deal with others.
-Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 68

Notice that "not striving" doesn't mean not doing anything. In fact, Lao tzu seems to be equating "not stiving" with "dealing with".

Stoic resolve is not the same as contentment. And he was violent and he was a man of action not inaction and I saw that movie, he was pissed off and angry at those two jerks